Gungriffon Allied Strike - Xbox

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From the Manufacturer I play a lot of mech games. I like the more strategy-based offerings just as much as the titles that are all about an enjoyable mindless scrap. Allied Strike purports to be both, but isn't really either. Instead, it feels like a war machine that is too far behind the times, and it gets blown away by its competitors before it can even begin the battle. The first feature that will strike you as off-kilter about Gungriffon is the visuals. There's a vague sort of blur about them that makes it seem like you're looking through a mesh screen. Everything looks flat and colorless. The next thing you'll discover is that you don't know what the heck you're doing. There's no semblance of a tutorial to give you any guidance, so you're left to learn the controls on your own. Without any story introduction and very little in-game dialogue, you're left to wonder why you're fighting and whom you're fighting against. There are a bevy of weapons, mechs, and other customizations to explore, but it's never clear what should work best in any given situation. Consequently, your first hours with the game end up being a guess and check period filled with much cursing, foot stomping, and gnashing of teeth. I have to admit to being a fan of switching between first- and third-person views on the fly. I also appreciated that the enemy AI seemed intelligent enough to try and flank me from time to time, but my ally AI would often dive in way over its head and get destroyed quickly, which was annoying. Online multiplayer is a worthwhile addition to the series, and I was glad to see it present. If enough people end up playing, there could be some rewarding strategy/action gaming to be found. However, I can't help but conclude that there's too little innovation and production value to really make that a genuine option, particularly when there are some other mech games of significantly higher quality available on the console.Concept:The tried and true model of mech combat in a post-apocalyptic future Graphics:Remarkably drab given the console it's running on. Colors are washed out and weapon effects are lackluster Sound:Poor balancing of music and sound effects makes it seem like you're hearing everything from a distance or through a tube, but some of the explosions are impressive Playability:Way too many options right out of the gate and no tutorial to explain them lead to several hours of frustrating trial and error Entertainment:For mech fans that want a taste of tactics with their explosions, there might be something worthwhile here, but most players will be either dumbfounded or bored Replay:Moderately Low Rated: 6 out of 10Editor: Matt MillerIssue: February 20052nd Opinion: When faced with the decision of piloting a High Mac in Gungriffon, or spending just as much money on a sack of Big Mac's at McDonald's, gluttony is definitely the way to go. Sure, you'll probably spend most of the night hunched over a toilet, but at least you won't have the misery that this game delivers etched in your mind for all of eternity. Certainly, I love how the jump jets work, but where's the excitement? The missions are incredibly dull, and why am I battling these forces in the first place? Where the heck is the story? It's nowhere to be found! Simply put, this release is very uncharacteristic of the quality that we've come to expect from Tecmo.Rated: 5 out of 10Editor: Andrew ReinerSubscribe to Game Informer